


We All March On (Like We Know The Way To Heaven)

by Synnerxx



Series: sugar honey ice and tea [1]
Category: Slipknot (Band)
Genre: 69 (Sex Position), Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Barebacking, Blow Jobs, Bruises, Cruelty, Double Anal Penetration, Double Penetration, Double Penetration in One Hole, Established Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, M/M, Making Love, Overstimulation, Physical Abuse, Possessive Behavior, Rough Sex, Scratching, Soulmates, Tender Sex, Third Wheels, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2020-01-31 15:52:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18594502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Synnerxx/pseuds/Synnerxx
Summary: Corey and Joey decide to play with Jim for the night. Corey leaves them on their own the next morning and gets more than he bargained for in return.





	We All March On (Like We Know The Way To Heaven)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sleep_and_feel_no_pain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleep_and_feel_no_pain/gifts).



> early birthday present for raven! not even just on time, but early!!!! i can't believe it! she requested a threesome with these three. hope this lives up to everything you wanted!
> 
> the buzzing referred to here is a reference to our roleplay. essentially, it means that two people are soulmates and the buzzing is in their soul.
> 
> forgot to mention this is set in ahig era.

“I wanna play with Jamie tonight.” Corey catches up to Joey right before they head onstage. 

Joey glances at him, expression hidden behind his mask. “Okay. So?”

Corey shakes his head at Joey’s dismissive tone. “I want both of us to play with Jamie tonight.”

Joey turns his head to look at Jim, watching him play pattycake with Paul. “Why?”

Joey can’t see Corey’s pout, but he can hear it. “Don’t you wanna play with both of us? We always have a really good time.”

“Yeah. Okay, I’m in. But isn’t he rooming with Mick tonight? You know how Mick gets when it comes to Jim.” Joey shrugs a little. 

“Leave that to me. I’ll take care of Mick if he decides he needs to have a problem with us borrowing Jamie for the night.” Corey smirks under his mask, but Joey can hear it in his voice. 

Joey nods and casts another glance at Jim, who’s rubbing his hands together like he does before every show, fingers flexing a bit. Then they’re all heading onstage in front of the screaming crowd and the show begins. 

Joey pays more attention to Jim during the show than he usually does, but he chalks it up to looking forward to whatever tonight will bring at the hotel. 

All too soon and not soon enough, they’re walking into the hotel. Jim and Mick are talking quietly to each other when Corey walks over, handing Jim a key card. 

“You’re with me and Joey tonight.” Corey says, looking up into Jim’s face. 

Jim frowns a little. “But Mick and I….”

Corey cuts him off. “It wasn’t a question. You’re with us.”

Jim’s frown deepens and he looks at Mick. Mick just shrugs, not terribly attached to the idea of rooming with Jim tonight and too tired to bother arguing with Corey about it either. Jim sighs and nods. “Alright.”

Corey grins and grabs Jim’s arm, dragging him to the elevators where Joey is waiting. “I got him.”

Joey looks up and nods, a smirk spreading across his face to match Corey’s. “Good.” He turns to press the button to call the elevator, getting on and pushing the button for their floor. Corey drags Jim in behind him. Jim attempts to change gears from looking forward to rooming with Mick to rooming with Corey and Joey, unsure of exactly what they want from him tonight. 

He leans against the back wall of the elevator, watching as Corey latches onto Joey’s side. The two of them exchange kisses and soft murmurs that even Jim can’t make out from where he’s standing. He wonders idly if they’ve forgotten about him when the elevator dings and the doors open. They turn back to him and each grab an arm, pulling him down the hallway with them. 

“You know, I can walk without assistance.” He says dryly. 

They just laugh and continue pulling him down the hall towards their room. Corey swipes his keycard and lets them in. 

The door is barely closed behind them when Joey and Corey turn to each other, kissing fiercely, hands sliding over each other’s bodies. Jim watches them, unable to deny the heat simmering in his veins. He feels awkward as he always does with them these days, a third wheel, unnecessary and unneeded. He keeps watching them, listening to the noises they make for each other, their make out session getting more intense as hands start peeling clothing away from bodies. 

He edges to the door, wondering if he should just leave them to it. They seem to be doing just fine without him and probably have forgotten he’s even here. 

His hand is on the doorknob when Corey manages to pull his mouth away from Joey’s long enough to speak. “Where do you think you’re going, Jamie?” 

Jim startles and looks back over his shoulder at them, seeing Joey looking at him too now. “Oh, uhm, I was just gonna go….”

“Go where?” Joey asks, tilting his head. 

“Back to my room. You…..seem to have this under control.” Jim waves a hand at them. 

Corey shakes his head and untangles himself from Joey, going over to Jim and grabbing his arm when he’s close enough. “Oh, no. No, no. You’re going to stay with us.”

“We wanna play tonight, Jamie.” Joey smirks and finishes undressing, stretching out on the bed. 

Jim can’t help himself when his eyes trail over Joey before Corey is roughly jerking him into a kiss, biting his way into his mouth. Jim makes a soft noise, wishing sometimes that Corey was a little more gentle with him, but enjoying the sting of the pain anyway. 

He lets Corey rid him of his clothing and push him over to the bed where Joey is waiting for him. He lets Joey pull him down with him, watching as Corey finishes undressing as well, getting into the bed with both of them. He figures this will go as usual. He’ll suck Joey off and let Corey fuck him and then they’ll kick him out of their room. 

“I wanna do the thing tonight.” Corey says to Joey, who nods. 

“So that’s why you wanted to have Jim here.” Joey says, glancing at Jim. 

Jim tries not to let that comment sting too much, feeling like Joey didn’t really want him here in the first place now. “What thing?”

“The thing where we both fuck you at the same time.” Corey smirks, watching Jim closely. 

Jim flushes brightly, the red staining down his neck and chest. “It’s…..been a while…..”

“I know, but you can take it. You always can. You’re our good little whore, hmm?” Corey smiles at him, but it’s not a nice smile. 

Jim nods. He can do this. He wants to do this because he can never resist a night with Corey and Joey, no matter what it entails for him. 

Corey tosses him the bottle of lube. “Prepare yourself while Joey and I have some fun. Come here, Joe.” 

Joey shifts over to Corey as Corey stretches out on his back. He crawls over him, stretching out his own body on top of Corey’s, his face level with Corey’s cock. His own cock is in Corey’s face and Jim watches as they both start to lick and tease each other, their hands sliding over inner thighs. The view is hot, he can’t deny that. Wouldn’t want to deny that as he keeps his eyes fixed on the two of them as they pleasure each other. 

Jim slicks his fingers with the lube, feeling a little awkward watching them as he pushes two fingers inside of himself. No one’s touching him or even paying him any attention now and he considers leaving again, but he knows he won’t. His eyes stay fixed to the scene in front of him as Corey and Joey let out muffled moans around each other’s cocks, somehow moving in sync with each other as they suck one another off. He won’t leave because he finds this too hot, wants to be a part of this so much. 

Jim works himself open as quickly as possible, pushing a third finger into himself after another moment and then a fourth when he feels he can take it. It’s a lot more than he’s been used to taking lately and he hisses softly between his teeth as the stretch burns a little more intensely. 

Corey and Joey’s moans get louder before Corey is tapping Joey’s thigh and Joey is rolling off of him. Jim opens himself open some more, knowing they’re ready to get to the main event now.

Corey gets up on his knees and pulls Jim into him with a hand on the back of his neck, kissing him roughly. Jim can hear Joey’s noise of approval as Corey takes Jim down with him as he lays back on the bed. Joey arranges them, Jim straddling Corey. 

Corey breaks the kiss, one hand coming up to push Jim’s hair out of his face affectionately. “You ready for this, Jamie?”

Jim nods, reaching out and picking up the lube, passing it to Joey. “Yeah.” 

Joey reaches between Corey and Jim, slicking Corey’s cock with lube, knowing they’ll been more than just spit to ease the way for Jim if they don’t want to really hurt him. Corey moans and rocks up into Joey’s hand, his cock brushing against Jim’s body as well. Jim shivers, the heat between the three of them growing, his skin flushing with it. 

Joey grips Corey’s cock, holding it steady for Jim as he sinks down on it. He watches the two of them with dark eyes, fingers stroking over the place where Jim and Corey are joined as he moves his hand out of Jim’s way. 

Jim whimpers as Joey’s fingers press against him for a moment before moving away again. Corey rolls his hips up into him and he braces his hands on Corey’s chest, moving with him. He can feel Joey’s eyes on them, burning into him, and he shivers, cock twitching against his belly.

Corey squeezes his hips and Jim stills on him. Joey moves behind him, pressing up against his back. “You ready for me now, Jamie?” 

Jim whimpers and nods. It’s been a while since he’s done this, not something in his usual bag of tricks, but it’s not the first time, not even the first time with them and he knows he can take it. He just has to relax. Joey presses him down against Corey to get the angle right. He listens as Joey flicks the cap on the lube and shivers as it hits his skin, dripping over him and Corey. 

Joey slicks his cock up with more lube and positions his cock, the head pressing against Jim and Corey. Corey’s hands slide over Jim’s ribs gently, helping him to relax as Joey rubs against him. He relaxes as Joey pushes forward with his hips, sliding inside of him after a few moments. 

Corey’s head drops back against the pillows as he feels Joey’s cock pressing tightly against his own. Jim trembles between them, the intensity of being stretched and filled this much nearly overwhelming him. He whines softly, shuddering helplessly as Joey gets all the way inside of him and stills. 

Jim works to relax more, holding himself very still between them, gasping. Joey’s hands slide over his back and Corey’s slide over his sides and he whimpers softly. He gives himself another moment to adjust, sucking in a deep breath before giving an experimental roll of his hips. 

Both Joey and Corey moan loudly as he moves on their cocks slowly, easing himself into this. He works himself up and down, picking up momentum as Joey starts to move as well and then Corey. He bites his lip, hands curling in the sheets on either side of Corey as the pain twists with the pleasure and it burns through him, making him moan. Joey taught him to love the feeling of being full, of being filled up, of having someone else inside of him, even if he doesn’t know it, but Corey taught him this - how to be as full as possible, how to take it and more, how to sink into the pleasure-pain and ask for more. 

Corey’s nails dig into his sides and run down his ribs, making him cry out as they move together. The intensity builds as Joey controls the rhythm, moving deep inside of Jim. Their noises are loud in the otherwise quiet room and Jim tenses, cock throbbing between him and Corey. Joey’s fingers push into his skin, leaving bruises in their wake, but Jim relishes it, relishes the dull burst of pain. 

He doesn’t know how much longer he can hold on as both Corey and Joey move inside of him. He can feel every inch of both of their cocks throbbing and pulsing inside of him, driving him closer and closer to the edge. They push and pull at him, keeping him trapped between them, and there’s nowhere else he’d rather be in this moment. He focuses on the pleasure and the pain and the sensations flooding his body until it’s all almost too much to take. But he’ll take it and more because he needs this, needs them. 

“Fuck, fuck, Joe…...fuck, Jamie…..” Corey tightens his grip on Jim, nails pressing into him again. 

Joey gasps, pushing as deep as he can go, and Jim lets out a choked scream as his orgasm slams into him, bright and hot, and he spills himself between himself and Corey, muscles clenching and releasing around their cocks. 

Corey arches as best he can with Jim on top of him, burying himself as far as he can go, coming inside of Jim. His head presses back against the pillows, the sensations overwhelming him, making him cry out. 

Joey manages a few more thrusts of his hips before he’s coming as well, the feeling of Corey’s come dripping along his length setting him off. He groans, leaning over Jim, teeth sinking into his skin. 

Corey sinks back into the bed, panting heavily. His hands slide over both Jim and Joey as they sag against one another, utterly spent. Jim isn’t sure he can move at this point, even if he tried. 

It’s several minutes before anyone attempts to move at all, but eventually Joey does, pulling out of Jim with a hiss. Corey’s shifting underneath him and Jim takes the hint, pushing himself up and off of him, collapsing to the bed beside them. 

Joey cleans himself and Corey up and then leans over to clean Jim up as well. Jim makes a soft noise of appreciation, working up the muster to get up and get dressed, well used to their routine when it’s the three of them. He knows Corey’s unspoken rule. 

That’s why he’s surprised when Corey tugs him closer to his side as Joey curls up on Corey’s other side. He hesitates for a moment before Corey looks at him with an arched eyebrow and he moves over to his side, curling into him carefully. He can feel Joey’s eyes on him again, but he closes his own and tries to relax, wondering if Joey would rather he’d left anyway. 

He hears Corey kiss Joey and feels Corey kiss him, kissing Corey back. Nothing more is said as they settle down together and Jim gives himself over to sleep, unable to fight it after that intense of a session. 

~*~

Jim shifts a bit when Corey kisses him, not really awake, but not quite asleep anymore either. Corey says something about doing media for the day and that he’ll be back later, but Jim isn’t really paying attention. He’s drifting in and out of sleep, warm and comfortable on a real bed and not squished into his bunk on the bus. 

He doesn’t know how long he lays there before Joey is rolling over towards him, pressing up against his back. He doesn’t tense as he usually would when it’s just Joey. There’s a memory playing in the back of his head, of their first time. The way that Joey’s hands are sliding over his body now reminding him of how Joey had touched him then. It’s so different from how Joey usually touches him now. 

Joey presses up against Jim’s back and Jim can feel how hard he is. His own cock twitches with interest, hardening as well. He purrs softly as Joey’s hands continue their soft and slow exploration of his body. He lays there, quite content to be touched, enjoying Joey’s attention. For once, it’s positive attention that feels good instead of the usual negative that results in scratches and bruises. Sure, he likes those as well, but this - feeling like he means something to Joey, like the first time all over again - it’s almost enough to have him crying. 

He doesn’t, thankful he’s able to blink away the tears that sting his eyes, not wanting Joey to stop or be weirded out by him. Joey’s fingers brush over his nipples and he moans softly, cock twitching again. 

Joey’s voice is soft and rough with sleep. “I want you, Jamie…..”

Jim sucks in a soft breath as Joey’s fingers pinch and worry his nipples into hardened peaks between them. “Mm, please.” 

Joey presses harder against Jim’s back, his cock sliding into the cleft between Jim’s cheeks. Jim whimpers as Joey rubs against him, teasing them both. “Wanna take you like this. Is that okay?” Joey asks, wrapping an arm around Jim’s torso.  
Jim nods. “Yeah, please. Want you….”

Joey hums, continuing to take his time and reacquaint himself with Jim’s body. Last night had been about the three of them and it was good, very good, Jim wouldn’t deny that. But there’s just something about the slow, sensual pace that Joey sets for them now that feels so much better. 

There’s something in the way that Joey’s touching him now, in the way he kisses the back of his neck and shoulders so softly that feels like he means something to Joey, almost like he’s something precious to Joey. The way Joey used to touch him before. Before things were so messed up between them and Corey. Jim wonders briefly why they bothered fighting over Corey at all if they could have this. He almost opens his mouth to ask, but Joey’s hand comes back up to his nipples and whatever he was going to say is lost in a moan. 

Joey moves away from him just long enough to find the lube that was discarded in the sheets last night. Jim listens as Joey slicks his cock up, shivering a bit at the soft moan of pleasure that Joey makes as he touches himself. 

“You still stretched enough, Jamie?” Two of Joey’s fingers press against his entrance, slowly sliding inside of him just to be sure. “Are you okay for this? Not too sore?” 

Jim rocks back onto Joey’s fingers, moaning as they stroke over his sweet spot as they work him open a little more. Joey taking the time to do this, to make sure he’s okay and up for this, to check in with him, means more to him than it probably should. It speaks volumes about how their relationship has suffered recently, how they’ve treated each other lately, and it makes Jim want to change that. He wants to do better, be better to Joey. He nods. “I’m okay. I’m good.” 

Joey hums, pleased. He works Jim open a little more, not wanting to hurt him, knowing he has to be a little sore from last night at the very least. He’s gentle and careful, something different this time around from the frantic pace they usually work at. 

There’s no anger or frustration in his movements. He doesn’t want to hurt Jim, doesn’t want to punish him. He wants to make him feel good, wants to take care of him. 

Jim whimpers when Joey carefully pulls his fingers out of him, slicking himself with more lube. He shifts closer to Jim again, arm wrapping back around him, holding him lovingly. Jim wonders if he’s reading too much into this encounter, wonders if Joey is even thinking like him at all, but he hopes he is because he wants this to mean something to both of them. 

Joey rubs the head of his cock against Jim’s stretched entrance and Jim whimpers softly, pushing back onto Joey. “You ready, Jamie?” 

Jim nods eagerly, hips pushing more insistently into Joey as Joey pushes forward into him. He cries out as Joey’s cock slides inside of him and Joey stills, giving him a moment to adjust to him. He shivers, feeling the pulse and throb of Joey’s cock inside of him. He clenches and releases his inner muscles around him just to feel it even more. 

Jim gasps when Joey starts moving inside of him, setting up a deep and slow pace, grinding against his sweet spot with every deep thrust into him. His cock throbs against his belly, leaving smears of precome on his skin. He whimpers as he moves with Joey, hands fisting into the sheets. He can feel tears sliding down his cheeks at how perfect this feels, how right this feels to him. 

A tiny electric feeling, a sort of vibrating buzzing, appears deep inside of him. He jerks a little, unsure of what it is. Joey’s hand smooths down his side, over the scratches Corey had left last night. He relaxes again, moaning as he keeps moving with Joey, the pace picking up a bit. 

Joey bites his lip as he feels that same buzzing sensation he gets with Corey. He knows what it means, knows it means that he has a soulmate connection with Jim, but that doesn’t make sense because he already has one with Corey, so how could he have one with Jim too? He pushes it aside, telling himself he’s just imagining it, must be dreaming it up. He keeps moving inside of Jim, chasing the bright heat of his building orgasm. 

Jim shudders as the pleasure builds up and up and up, cresting into a wave of white-hot pleasure that breaks over him, dragging him down and making him feel like he’s drowning in the best possible way. He jolts hard as he comes, his cock throbbing as his release washes over him. 

Joey moans behind him, pushing twice more into that tight heat that gets tighter around him. He buries himself as deep as he can inside of Jim, coming hard as he spills himself inside of Jim’s willing body. Jim pants, the slick rush of heat inside of him making the end of his orgasm even more intense. Joey presses more kisses to the back of his neck, petting his chest as they sink into each other, recovering. 

Slowly, Joey eases himself out of Jim, turning over to grab some tissues to clean them up. He gently rolls Jim over onto his back, smiling down at his sated expression, still feeling the tiny buzzing inside of him. He wonders if Jim can feel it too. 

“You okay, Jamie?” He throws the tissues away and lays back down beside Jim. 

Jim nods, immediately cuddling into Joey. “Yeah.”

Joey pets Jim softly, listening to him purr. He kisses his forehead gently, fingers stroking through Jim’s hair. The words are on the tip of his tongue to say to Jim, to tell him he loves him, but he swallows them down. He figures if Jim doesn’t mention the buzzing, then he must not be able to feel it. 

Jim curls more into Joey, relaxing as Joey pets him. He can still feel the buzzy feeling deep inside of himself and he has no idea what it means. He doesn’t know what to do. It would sound crazy if he asked Joey about it. Buzzing sensation? Inside of himself? It sounds crazy even to him and he can feel it. 

Joey’s soft voice breaks into his thoughts. “Let’s get some more rest.” 

He nods and helps Joey pull the blankets back over them, letting Joey gather him close again. His heart feels warm in his chest and he savors this moment, curled up with Joey, reminded of why he fell in love with him in the first place. He almost says I love you to Joey, but he bites his tongue and doesn’t, not wanting to hear Joey’s mocking laughter after such tender lovemaking. 

He lets himself drift off to sleep, happy and warm in Joey’s arms as Joey’s fingers slide through his hair over and over. 

Joey listens to Jim purr for him as he cards his fingers through his hair, smiling softly as the purring turns into soft snoring. He kisses Jim’s forehead gently, sure he’s asleep now. “I love you, Jamie.”

He gets a snore in response and chuckles, settling down, letting sleep pull him under as well. 

~*~

It’s a few more hours later when Jim’s pulled from his slumber by Corey’s loud voice. 

“What the fuck is this shit?!” Corey glares at them from the end of the bed. 

Jim blinks blearily, still cuddled up with Joey. He’s confused, unsure of what Corey is talking about, and makes a soft, questioning noise as Joey sits up. 

“Why do you have to be so fucking loud?” Joey yawns, looking irritated at being woken up. 

“Why did you fuck without me here?” Corey retorts, gesturing between the two of them. 

“‘Cause I woke up with a hard on and you weren’t here.” Joey shrugs, unbothered by Corey’s anger. 

Jim’s heart sinks a little. So it really hadn’t meant much to Joey. He had read too much into it. He feels like crying again and shivers as the buzzing abruptly stops. It isn’t real anyway. Just something he imagined, he tells himself firmly. Just like he’d imagined all the love and care in Joey’s touches earlier. Of course Joey didn’t love him. Why would he when he has Corey? He curls up tighter, feeling vulnerable as he lays there, listening to the two of them argue. 

“So you just decide to fuck him? You know I hate that shit.” Corey folds his arms across his chest. 

“Last I checked, I could fuck him if I wanted. You don’t always have to be there. Don’t take your pissiness out on me. I’m not the one who had media to do today.” Joey climbs out of the bed, glancing at Jim as he feels the buzzing stop from him. He starts pulling his clothes on, figuring he must have imagined it or Corey had been closer than he thought.

“Where are you going?” Corey demands, watching Joey get dressed, not missing the look he gives Jim when he gets up. 

“Paul has some stuff he wanted me to check out. I don’t wanna fucking argue with you over why I fucked Jim. I was horny, he was there, you weren’t. Not a big deal.” Joey regrets the words even before they’re out of his mouth, but even more when he sees Jim curl up tighter on the bed. He thinks he sees a tear streak down Jim’s cheek as well, but he doesn’t say anything as he shoves his feet into his shoes. He feels like even more of an asshole. 

Corey frowns, looking pissed off still, but he can’t argue with that. He tugs on Joey’s arm and kisses him before he lets him go, watching him disappear out of the room. 

Jim sits up when the door closes, quickly swiping at his eyes before Corey can see he’s been crying. 

Corey rounds on him suddenly. “How was it?”

Jim looks confused. “How was what?” 

“The sex, dumbass.” Corey rolls his eyes. “With you and Joey.”

Jim shrinks a little. “It was good.”

“Did he touch you like he cared about you? Like he loved you?” Corey asks, a smirk curling the edges of his lips. 

Jim hesitates, looking at Corey. He doesn’t wanna give that much power to Corey. He doesn’t want Corey to tarnish what he feels was an intimate moment between him and Joey. He supposes it doesn’t really matter since Joey doesn’t feel the same way. 

Corey watches Jim’s hesitation, reading him easily. He knows Joey had been lying when he said it was just sex. He knows how Joey feels about Jim, has always felt about Jim. He knows that they are meant to be in that grand way you see in movies, read about in books, and think is fictional. He’s not the only one that sees it, but he’ll be damned if he’s going to lose Joey to Jim, of all fucking people. 

He keeps studying Jim, watching him squirm and fidget on the bed. “What’s the matter with you?”

Jim wrings his fingers together as he sits up against the headboard, not meeting Corey’s eyes. “I felt something…..weird this time.” 

“What do you mean?” Corey frowns a little. 

“Like….this is gonna sound crazy.” Jim chews his lip, clearly nervous. 

“Just spit it out.” Corey snaps impatiently. 

Jim rubs his hands together a little more, trying to figure out a way to articulate himself in a way that makes sense. “I felt like this…..electric feeling. Like a buzzy vibration kind of a thing. While Joey and I were together.” 

Corey’s eyes widen, the only outward sign of his shock. He knows exactly what that buzzing means. They really are soulmates and are close to figuring that out for themselves. He can’t have this. Absolutely not. Joey is his soulmate. He’s gotta figure out a way to convince Jim it isn’t real. He smirks again after a moment. It’ll crush Jim, he knows, but sacrifices have to be made and he’ll sacrifice Jim over Joey any day of the week. 

Jim risks a look up at Corey. “That’s crazy, right?”

“Do you wanna know what the buzzing means?” Corey leans forward a bit, looking at Jim. 

Jim hesitates for a long moment and then nods warily as Corey smiles at him. 

“It means you’re soulmates with that person.” Corey watches Jim’s reaction carefully. 

Jim can’t help the hope that blooms in his chest like a tiny flower, eyes lighting up. “So there’s a chance for me and Joey? We’re soul--” He doesn’t get a chance to finish his sentence before Corey backhands him across the face, hard enough to snap his head to the side. The pain explodes across his cheek and mouth, Corey’s ring having busted his lip. He feels blood trickle down his chin. 

“No. You’re not.” Corey’s voice has a note of warning in it. “Joey’s MY soulmate and he’s always going to be MINE. Not yours. Besides, you can fake that kind of connection with someone and that’s what he did to you. Because he thinks you’re pathetic and took pity on you. Or, hell, maybe this was one of his pranks. You know how he likes fucking with you.”

Jim turns his head back towards Corey, but he doesn’t look at him. He stares down at the floor, willing himself to just go numb to the heartache that Corey inflicts on him. Tears sting his eyes, but he refuses to let them fall in front of Corey. He refuses to think about how tenderly Joey had touched him, so different that usual, like he was something precious to Joey. Because of course he wasn’t. He’s stupid for even daring to entertain that idea. He nods with Corey’s words, feeling the shattered pieces of his heart somehow break even more. 

“Why don’t you just go crawl up under Mick for a while and leave me and Joey alone?” Corey suggests, but it’s not really a suggestion, Jim knows. 

He nods again.

Corey grabs Jim’s jaw roughly, forcing him to meet his eyes. His fingers dig into Jim’s skin, nails biting, leaving more bruising in his wake. “He doesn’t love you. He never will.” 

Jim wants to tell Corey that that’s a lie, wants to explain how they’d moved together as if they were one, how gentle and loving Joey was, but he shoves it down, burying it away deep down inside of himself. He won’t give that to Corey. Even if it was a lie or a prank, it was something. Something other than anger and hatred and resentment that they usually touched each other with. It felt almost like the first time so long ago when they were young and Jim had fallen in love with Joey. Before Slipknot. Before Corey. Corey can’t touch this memory and it will be what Jim holds onto when he needs the comfort. When Joey screams that he doesn’t deserve to be loved because he’s worthless. When Jim tells Joey that he’s cruel and bitter and he hates him for it. That’s a lie. He’s never managed to hate Joey, no matter what he says. 

Instead, he nods again when Corey lets go of him, shoving him back. “I know.”

Corey seems satisfied with his answer. “Good. I’ll see you at the show tonight.”

Jim listens to Corey walk out of the room and close the door behind him. He goes into the bathroom and looks at the damage done, cleaning up the blood. There’s nothing to be done for the swelling on his lip. He doesn’t meet his own gaze in the mirror as he wipes the blood away. 

When he sees Joey later, he can see the way Joey’s eyes focus in on the bruising on his face and his still swollen lip, but he avoids Joey as much as he can. He pretends he doesn’t see the worry and concern shining in Joey’s eyes. It hurts too much. 

After the show, he hides out by the buses, smoking a cigarette. He hears someone walking up, but doesn’t look at them, hoping they’ll just keep walking. He’s not that lucky. He’s even more unlucky when he realizes it’s Joey. 

There’s a sharp intake of breath from Joey as he stares at the bruise on Jim’s face. His mouth is still swollen, he knows, can feel the tear in his lip with every puff on his cigarette. 

“What did he do to you, Jamie?” Joey asks softly, reaching up to touch Jim’s face. 

Jim pulls his head back. The nickname stings more than Corey’s harsh words from earlier. “Don’t.”

Joey frowns in confusion, his hand dropping down to his side. “Don’t what?”

“Just…..please, don’t.” Jim tosses his cigarette to the ground and steps on it to put it out. 

“Jamie…..” Joey trails off, feeling helpless as Jim won’t even look at him. He knows his words were cruel back in the hotel room and he wants to take them back, wants to undo the damage they caused. 

Jim shakes his head. He stares at the ashes of his cigarette and he holds onto the way Joey had touched him, telling himself that not even Joey could fake that. It felt too much like the first time they’d ever touched. Even if Joey didn’t know what all it meant to him then and how big a thing it was for him then, he knew and that was enough. 

He finally raises his eyes and meets Joey’s for a long moment before turning and getting on the bus, leaving Joey standing there, staring after him, bewildered. 

It hurts too much.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [(Who the Hell Died and) Made You King](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19302472) by [sleep_and_feel_no_pain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleep_and_feel_no_pain/pseuds/sleep_and_feel_no_pain)




End file.
